Nexus 6 2015 vs Nexus 6: What We Know So Far

From what we’ve been hearing all summer long Google plans to release two Nexus smartphones this year. One being another Nexus 5 made by LG, and the second being a premium flagship 5.7-inch Nexus 6 to take over last years model. While rumors are still light and details unclear, here’s how the 2015 Nexus 6 could compare to the original.

Over the years Google has partnered with multiple manufacturers from Samsung, LG, Motorola and even HTC to create Nexus smartphones and tablets, but in 2015 it looks like the all-new Nexus 6 will be made by Huawei. This will be the first Chinese OEM to create a Nexus, a plan that both companies hope will help each other equally.

The first rumors started emerging in February, and over the course of the summer we’ve received tons of details that are starting to slowly paint a more clear picture of what’s coming soon. If the Huawei Nexus 6 is real, here’s how it will compare to the 2014 Nexus 6, and why it’ll be worth waiting for.

Rumor has it Google will release a 5.2-inch LG Nexus 5 that will arrive in September or October and debut with the all-new Android M release. This smartphone is expected to be nearly a flagship smartphone with a few cutbacks, and priced under $400, just like the original Nexus 5, rather than a huge $649 price tag the Nexus 6 was last year.

And while that sounds great, some buyers do still want a big smartphone, just maybe not one as big as the 6-inch Nexus 6 from 2014. As a result, Google has tapped Huawei, one of the most popular Chinese OEMs, to create a premium well-rounded flagship Nexus 6 for 2015 with an aluminum unibody frame and top-tier specs. This is a phone we’re hearing will arrive after the Nexus 5, possibly sometime in November.

Famed and extremely popular leakster Evan Blass known as @evleaks, recently confirmed on Twitter what we’ve been hearing for the past few months about the new Nexus 6 for 2015. His was the 3rd solid report (of many) about the same device, lending credence to all other rumors we’ve heard thus far.

If all the reports and rumors about Huawei and Google’s Nexus 6 are accurate, or even some of them, buyers will have an excellent smartphone available later this year that could replace the Nexus 6, be bought instead of the Galaxy Note 5, and even the iPhone 6s Plus. Here’s everything we know so far based on rumors, and how it compares to the Nexus 6 that was released back in October of 2014.

2015 Nexus 6 Design

Based on everything we've heard thus far, Google, like other manufacturers, will be opting for premium materials this year on its Nexus smartphones. The Nexus 5 is said to have a brushed aluminum ring around the device, similar to the Nexus 6 and Motorola smartphones, just like the metal frame on the Galaxy S6.

However, the Huawei Nexus 6 is reportedly entirely metal made from a lightweight unibody aluminum frame. Something we've seen from HTC, and a few others. This would make it the most premium Nexus to date, and Huawei is one of the few that can do this and still keep the cost down.

From the few details we have heard so far the Huawei Nexus 6 will have a full unibody aluminum frame, a big 21 megapixel camera on the back, and a fingerprint scanner for better security and Android Pay support. It will come with a huge 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD display, and be one powerful smartphone.

Compare that to the 5.96-inch Nexus 6 with a plastic design, and the Huawei Nexus 6 sounds better already. It might be heavier, but with the size decrease they could end up being similar in weight, while the newer model is substantially better.

We don't have too many other details about the design, but it should have front facing speakers like the Nexus 6, and here's a recent video that leaked claiming to be the Nexus 6. If it's real though, is anyone's guess.

2 Comments

FK

A man

08/20/2015 at 9:40 pm

so…I’m still wondering why the new Nexus will be any better. A fingerprint scanner? I know having a completely aluminum build is appealing, but it isn’t functional and most of us keep our devices in cases anyway, which stops the user from enjoying a premium build feel. The screen is smaller, which will make the front facing speakers less enjoyable because front facing speakers are great for watching videos but smaller screens are not. The 2014 Nexus 6 has an already great build, it was reportedly submerged in water and worked fine afterward (though this Was understandably never claimed by Google). The list goes on and on. I don’t understand why every Android blogger bashes the Nexus 6, nor why they make “cant wait” claims about the 2015 version – no 64 bit, no optimized image stabilization. I’m not buyin the hype